Artificial tooth and means for securing same



Nov. 28, 1950 w. KLEINER ARTIFICIAL TOOTH AND MEANS FOR SECURING SAME Filed April 17, 1947 INVENTQE' WILLY KLEaNER.

ATTO R N EYS.

Patented Nov. 28, 1950 ARTIFICIAL TOOTH AND MEANS FOR SECURING SAME Willy Kleiner, Rapperswil, Switzerland Application April 17, 1947, Serial No. 742,129 In Switzerland April 30, 1946 Claims.

This invention relates to artificial teeth, and more particularly to improvements in means for anchoring an artificial tooth to a denture whereby an exceptionally firm grip can be had upon the tooth.

In the past it has been the practice to manufacture artificial teeth from such substances as synthetic resin. However, such teeth have not been provided with satisfactory reinforcing or strengthening pins or With satisfactory anchoring means.

Reinforcing and/or anchoring pins or pivots which have been employed in the past, especially in connection with porcelain artificial teeth, have of necessity been composed of precious metals of very high melting point, such as platinum or alloys such as nickelold, because of the high melting point of porcelain.

Artificial porcelain teeth which have been suggested in the past have required extraordinarily high resistance of the tooth against the various strains which can occur in the working of the jaws. This is particularly true with respect to strains in the regions of the anchoring means. The core or central region of such a tooth in which normally is embedded the anchoring means or the pin for connecting same to a denture, therefore, has in the past necessarily been of especially hard material. It is not desirable for the exterior regions of the tooth to be as hard as the core because of the danger of fracture due to brittleness. Consequently, a tooth of the above character must have two different porcelain regions of differing hardnesses.

According to the present invention, a device is provided for eliminating the above difficulties.

Various, further and more specific features and advantages of the invention will clearly appear from the detailed description given below, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings which form a part of this specification and illustrate, by way of example, a preferred embodiment of the invention. The invention consists of such novel combinations and features as may be shown and described in connection with the device herein disclosed.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation partly in section of a denture having a tooth secured thereto by the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a rear view of a tooth and anchoring means therefor embodying the present invention;

Fig. 3 is a side view in section of the embodiment of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 4 is a top view of the tooth shown in Fig. 2.

The present invention is constituted by an artificial tooth of a resinous substance having means for anchoring same to a denture comprising a pin embodying a single bent wire preferably of stainless steel. The wire is bent to form a knee portion which is embedded in the body of the tooth. The knee portion preferably is bent relative to the remainder of the wire. The free extremities of the wire protrude from the lingual surface of the tooth.

One of the reasons for disposing the knee portion of the wire angularly relative to the re-' mainder thereof is toposition said portion approximately in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the tooth, thereby preventing said portion from coming too near to the facial or labial surface of the tooth whereby it may become visible. Also the above-described means for securing the tooth to a denture provides a novel device for distributing over a large region the high pressures occurring in the tooth. Furthermore, it insures a positive grip upon the tooth over a broad region which heretofore has not been attainable. The bent wire is especially suited for synthetic resinous substances which are not very hard but which are exceptionally tough.

Referring to the drawings in further detail, the novel fastening means or pin is shown in combination with, for example, a front tooth Ill, which has been formed from a synthetic or artificial resin. The tooth has a labial surface at H, a lingual surface at Ila, and a cusp at [2. The cervical region thereof is indicated at 12a.

The novel means for securing the tooth to a denture l3 consists of a single wire which is formed substantially into a U-shaped member I4 (Fig. 4). The wire thus formed preferably is bent intermediate the extremities thereof to produce a knee portion having legs l to and Mb depending therefrom.

In order to insure a broad region over which stresses are dispersed, and in order to insure a grip upon the toothwhich heretofore has not been attainable, the knee portion [5 is embedded in the body of the tooth I0 in a massive portion thereof as at Illa (Fig. 3), and the legs Ma and 14b protrude from the lingual surface I la, for example, perpendicular thereto. In the form shown portion [0a comprises a massive mid-region of the tooth which iswell adapted for receiving the thrusts to which a tooth of this character is subjected. However, said legs are not limited to a perpendicular relationship to said lingual surface and may be spread or formed in any de sired relative position.

The knee portion [5 of the bent wire is formed as shown in Fig. 3 angularly disposed relative to the legs Ma and Mb and approximately in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the tooth. This is done in order to prevent the wire from coming too close to the. labial or facial surface I l of the tooth whereby the wire is kept at a sufficient distance to avoid being seen through the resin which may be translucent. The knee portion also is bent in order to increase the region over which the thrusts of the tooth are distributed.

The use of stainless steel instead of a precious metal or an alloy containing precious metal is made possible by the nature of the tooth, namely, of an artificial resin. This materially reduces the cost of the tooth. Furthermore, stainless steel is not susceptible to the normal chemical reactions which occur in the mouth.

The direction in which the knee portion i5 is disposed angularly relative to the legs Ma and I 41) is preferably toward the cervical region |2a of the tooth.

The pivot tooth described herein can be employed in connection with Richmond crowns, pivot teeth, bridge work, partial or total prosthesis with a deep bite (extensive overbite) or with a normal bite as well as in connection with other forms of teeth.

While the invention has been described in respect to a preferred example which has given sat isfactory results, it will be understood by those skilled in the art after understanding the invention that various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, and it is intended therefore in the appended claims to cover all such changes and modifications.

What is claimed is:

1. An artificial tooth of an artificial resinous substance having a lingual and a labial surface and a cervical portion, and a single wire of stain less steel bent substantially into U-shape having a knee portion and a pair of legs, said tooth also having a massive mid-portion which tapers towards the cervical portion, said wire being adapted for securing the tooth to a denture and having the knee portion of the wire bent toward said cervical portion in the mid-portion of the tooth, with the legs of the wire protruding from the lingual surface of the tooth.

2. An artificial tooth having a lingual and a labial surface, a cervical portion, and means for securing said tooth to a denture or backplate or the like, said means comprising a single wire bent to form a knee portion having a pair of legs depending therefrom, the knee portion of said wire being bent relative to said legs at a predetermined angle, the knee portion being embedded in said tooth approximatel in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the tooth pointed toward said cervical portion and the legs of said wire protruding from said longitudinal surface, the knee portion of said wire being substantially midway between said surfaces in a massive midregion of the tooth.

3. An artificial tooth consisting of a resinous substance and having a massive mid-region tapering toward a cervical portion, and a single wire for securing said tooth to a denture or the like, the wire being bent to form a knee portion having legs, the knee portion and a portion of each of said legs being bent relative to the remainder of said legs at a predetermined angle thereto, said knee portion and the portions of said legs so bent being embedded in said tooth substantially in alignment with the longitudinal axis of the tooth with said knee in said massive mid-region and pointing toward said cervical portion, the legs of the wire protruding from a lingual surface of the tooth.

4. An artificial tooth consisting of a synthetic resinous substance having lingual and labial surfaces and a cervical portion, and a single wire bent substantially into U-shape forming a knee portion and a pair of legs, the knee portion and a portion of said legs being formed angularly relative to the remainder of said legs at a preselected angle and such knee and leg portions being embedded in the tooth substantially in the direction of the longitudinal axis thereof whereby the knee extends toward said cervical portion, said legs of the wire protruding from the lingual surface of the tooth.

5. An artificial tooth consisting of a synthetic resinous substance having lingual and labial surfaces and a massive mid-region tapering towards a cervical portion, and a single wire of stainless steel bent substantially into U-shape having a knee portion and a pair of legs, the knee portion and a portion of said legs being bent relative to the remainder of said legs at a preselected angle, said knee portion and the portion of said legs so bent being embedded in the massive region of the tooth substantially in the direction of the longitudinal axis of. the tooth extending towards the cervical portion thereof and approximately midway between the labial and lingual surfaces, the legs of said wire protruding from the lingual surface of the tooth.

WILLY KLEINER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 99,593 Raynor Feb. 8, 1870 277,940 Richmond May 22, 1883 669,963 Slater Mar. 12, 1901 1,472,677 Richardson Oct. 30, 1923 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 1,480 Great Britain Jan. 18, 1913 

